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Ian Stewart (baseball)

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Ian Stewart
Free Agent
Third baseman
Born: (1985-04-05) April 5, 1985 (age 39)
Long Beach, California
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
debut
August 11, 2007, for the Colorado Rockies
Career statistics
(through 2012 season)
Batting average.232
Home runs59
Runs batted in204
Hits329
Teams

Ian Kenneth Stewart (born April 5, 1985) is an American Major League Baseball infielder who is currently a free agent.

Baseball career

Colorado Rockies

Drafted in the 2003 first round out of La Quinta High School in Westminster, California, Stewart showed great promise in short-season rookie-league ball at Casper, Wyoming in the Pioneer League. His .401 on-base percentage and .558 slugging average appeared to justify his first-round selection. In 2004, Stewart continued to progress in low-A ball at Asheville, North Carolina in the South Atlantic League with a .398 OBP and .594 SLG. Baseball America ranked him as the fourth best prospect in baseball behind Delmon Young, Félix Hernández and Joe Mauer.

In 2005, he began play in high-A ball in Modesto, California in the California League. He got off to a very slow start, hitting for a low average with little power. He went to extended spring training and came back to play with Modesto in June, 2005. Up until June 20, Stewart was hitting under .230 with few homers. His supposedly improving defense, which had impressed former Rockies, Marlins, and Braves player Walt Weiss, also suffered. However, Stewart rebounded later in the season and finished with a respectable .353 OBP and .497 SLG, although he showed a worrisome tendency to strike out.

Stewart played in the Arizona Fall League after the conclusion of the 2005 minor league season. Here, Stewart got off to a good start with impressive power. Unfortunately, he suffered a wrist injury while sliding into second base. The MRI showed limited damage, but any wrist injury is troublesome for a power hitter. He was shut down for the rest of the AFL.

Stewart was invited to the Colorado Rockies 2006 spring training. He began well, hitting six home runs and batting over .400 in the first few games. Stewart re-established himself as a power-hitting prospect, and the Rockies sent him to Tulsa, Oklahoma in the AA Texas League. Here Stewart began the season well, but fell into a slump that sent his average to .235 in mid-May before being sidelined with another injury. The injury was not serious, and Stewart only missed ten games. When he returned, Stewart improved noticeably and finished the season with a .351 on-base percentage and a .452 slugging average.

Stewart's power potential makes him a possibility for the Rockies' third base position. However, his performance at higher levels in the minors has tailed off from his impressive 2003-04 seasons. In 2007, he was selected to the All-Star Futures Game.

Stewart had his contract purchased on August 11, 2007, when Jeff Baker was placed on the disabled list. He made his major league debut on that same day when he started the game at third base. He hit is first major league home run, a grand slam on August 21, 2007, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, making him only the second Rockie ever to hit a grand slam as his first major league home run.

Stewart, in his limited time in the majors, endeared himself to fans by frequently signing autographs. He struggled early, striking out 28 times in his first 55 ABs, and was sent down to Colorado Springs to regain his hitting stroke. He found it once again, and was called back to the Majors on July 19. Stewart won the starting third base job when Garrett Atkins moved to first base in place for the injured Todd Helton.

Stewart received the NL Rookie of the Month award for his accomplishments in July 2008.[1][2] He hit .432 with one home run, five doubles, eight runs scored and 15 RBIs in 12 games during the month of July. He also had a .614 slugging percentage and a .519 on-base percentage.

After starting the 2011 season with a .077 batting average, Stewart was sent down to Triple-A on April 19.[3] He was recalled to the big league club on May 3, 2011.

Chicago Cubs

On December 8, 2011, Stewart was traded from the Colorado Rockies along with Casey Weathers to the Chicago Cubs for Tyler Colvin and DJ LeMahieu.

He has been consistently playing third base with occasional starts by Jeff Baker, another former Rockie. Stewart has hit 4 home runs and 13 RBI in the 2012 season as of May 27, 2012.

On June 16, 2012, Stewart underwent wrist surgery and was put retroactively to this date on the 60 day disabled list.[4]

On December 6, 2012, Stewart re-signed a 1-year $2 million deal with the Chicago Cubs.[5]

On June 25, 2013, Stewart was released from his contract with the Cubs after a June 11, 2013 rant criticizing the Cubs for letting him "rot" in Triple A.

References

  1. ^ http://www.bnd.com/sports/baseball/story/429132.html
  2. ^ http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080811&content_id=3290702&vkey=news_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col
  3. ^ Rockies send struggling third baseman Ian Stewart to Triple-A, NBC Sports, April 19, 2011.
  4. ^ Ian Stewart Having Wrist Surgery, Out 6-10 Weeks, BleedCubbieBlue, June 14th, 2012.
  5. ^ Simon, Andrew (December 6, 2012). "Stewart, Cubs reunite with reported one year deal". MLB.com. Retrieved December 7, 2012.
Awards
Preceded by National League Rookie of the Month
July 2008 		Succeeded by

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